Contact Information

Spanish

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Spanish degree equips our students with the expertise and the knowledge that specialists in culture, linguistics, and literature can bring in tomorrow's workplace. The program offers quality instruction that reflects the increasingly interdependent and global nature of culture, knowledge and the world in the 21st century, as well as the growing inter-connectedness of peoples and places in the local, regional, national, and global communities. Through interactive coursework at home and/or abroad, reflective papers, research, travel and presentations, the program enables students:

To develop an understanding of cultures and history of the regions they have chosen to study;

To understand, read, write, and speak the languages of these regions and be able to apply the acquired skills to either teach, translate and interpret these languages;

To gain a thorough knowledge of the corresponding countries, traditions and peoples in these regions.

The inherent multidisciplinary nature of culture and language studies as well as the geographic variety of areas to be covered requires that the faculty work with other programs as well as similar programs in the neighboring universities.

The two interconnected themes of the World Languages and Cultures (WC&L) programs are:

Places, Cultures and Languages which leads into a minor in Spanish, or a minor in French.

Places, Traditions and Histories which leads into a minor in Global Studies with possible concentrations in Latin American Studies or European Studies.

Students fulfilling the requirement for a Major in Spanish will be able to obtain certification to teach Spanish at the primary and secondary level, by following the K-12 program offered in cooperation with the Education Program.

WC&L students obtain a strong grounding in global affairs which teaches them how to engage in problem-solving across boundaries and cultures, and how to critically evaluate information from a comparative perspective. This training also involves learning how to become an effective communicator which includes learning how to argue and defend complex views before a variety of global audiences. Well developed global competency is of use to numerous companies and organizations. A WC&L major also offers excellent preparation for graduate school, law school, and careers in various global organizations:

Outcomes

All Majors in either concentration of the World Cultures and Languages programs will be able to:

Describe the world's economic, environmental, and political systems.

Assess the complexities and contradictions in one of the world's systems based on ample information about one or more of the relevant issues currently facing humankind.

Reflect comparatively and in depth on one's own and a second culture.

Adapt in a second culture by working effectively with a counterpart in that culture.

Articulate the basic assumptions of value-based perspectives (worldviews) and apply them in formulating alternative responses to one of the world's major issues.

Demonstrate potential for distinctive leadership in a local community and internationally in the pursuit of a just, healthy, sustainable, and peaceful world.

In addition, Majors in Spanish will be able to:

Demonstrate the four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and comprehension) at an advanced-mid level.

Demonstrate ability to translate and interpret to and from Spanish.

Demonstrate proficiency in the discussion and analysis of cultural, political, historical, and literary issues within the respective language countries.

Demonstrate an understanding of linguistic structures and how they operate in any language.

Display an appreciation of languages in general, sensitivity to cultural differences, and a deeper understanding of their own culture.

Develop the knowledge and skills for effective functioning in either a post-graduate academic environment or a professional career.

Minors in Spanish will be able to:

Demonstrate proficiency in the discussion and analysis of cultural, political, historical, and literary issues within the respective language countries.

Demonstrate the four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and comprehension) at an intermediate-high level.

Graduates

Our graduates are equipped to teach at the primary and secondary levels; to pursue careers in international education, business, law, diplomatic service, and journalism; and to work with international corporations, international service organizations, and non-profit organizations with global agendas and responsibilities.

Our graduates are also prepared to apply for advanced studies in graduate school, at the Master's and Ph.D. level. Some of our Spanish graduates have later received their M.A. degree in Spanish from such institutions as Middlebury College, New York University, Rutgers University, and Montclair State University; still other CSE Spanish Majors are currently pursuing their Ph.D. studies.

Requirements

Minor in Spanish

Select one from the following two core foundational courses (4)

WCL100: Introduction to the Study of Languages (4)

WCL115: Principles of Human Geography (4)

Select one from the following two exploratory courses (4)

WCL200: Literature Survey (related to language) (4)

WCL205: Area Studies: Culture and Traditions (can be taken twice) (2)

Select two from the following three analytical courses (8)

WCL300: Reading and Contexts (4)

WCL305: Composition and Conversation (4)

WCL310: Grammar and Style (4)

The following course is mandatory for all minors (2)

WCL495: Experience (Internship/Study Abroad) (2)

Total: 18 credits

Course Listing

Course Level: 1

WCL-100

Introduction to the Study of Languages

Credit Hours: 4

Introduction to the Study of Languages is a general interest course intended for students in all fields. It provides an overview of an inarguably fundamental human capacity: language. Languages reflect both our collective humanity and our socio-historical diversity; as such, all languages are worthy of study and respect. Students will consider a variety of language-related topics in the context of the cognitive sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Course readings provide students with exposure to many of the basic concepts and terms used in the study of language. Lectures complement the readings by further elucidating key concepts and exemplifying these notions. Open to all

WCL-101FRE

Basic Language and Culture French

Credit Hours: 4

An introductory course aimed at exposing students to the French language for the first time. It provides students with vocabulary and structures needed for basic communication. The course includes an introduction to the French culture, and it is the perfect preparation for students getting ready for a short-term travel/study abroad experience.

WCL-101ITA

Basic Language and Culture Italian

Credit Hours: 4

An introductory course aimed at exposing students to the Italian language for the first time. It provides students with vocabulary and structures needed for basic communication. The course includes an introduction to the Italian culture, and it is the perfect preparation for students getting ready for a short-term travel/study abroad experience.

WCL-101LAT

Basic Language and Culture Latin

Credit Hours: 4

An introductory course aimed at exposing students to the Latin language for the first time. It provides students with vocabulary and structures needed for basic communication. The course includes an introduction to the Latin culture, and it is the perfect preparation for students getting ready for a short-term travel/study abroad experience.

WCL-101SPA

Basic Language and Culture Spanish

Credit Hours: 4

An introductory course aimed at exposing students to the Spanish language for the first time. It provides students with vocabulary and structures needed for basic communication. The course includes an introduction to the Spanish culture, and it is the perfect preparation for students getting ready for a short-term travel/study abroad experience.

WCL-103FRE

Beginner Lang,Grammar & Culture French

Credit Hours: 4

A beginning course for students who have had some exposure to the French language and/or its culture. It builds a foundation for the development of proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in the French language. Students gain practice with vocabulary and structures needed for communication, complemented by an introduction to various aspects of the relevant culture. Students will practice simple and direct exchanges of information on familiar and routine matters, as well as their lives and immediate environments.

WCL-103ITA

Beginner Lang,Grammar & Culture Italian

Credit Hours: 4

A beginning course for students who have had some exposure to the ltalian language and/or its culture. It builds a foundation for the development of proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in the Italian language. Students gain practice with vocabulary and structures needed for communication, complemented by an introduction to various aspects of the relevant culture. Students will practice simple and direct exchanges of information on familiar and routine matters, as well as their lives and immediate environments.

WCL-103LAT

Beginner Lang,Grammar & Culture Latin

Credit Hours: 4

A beginning course for students who have had some exposure to the Latin language and/or its culture. It builds a foundation for the development of proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in the Latin language. Students gain practice with vocabulary and structures needed for communication, complemented by an introduction to various aspects of the relevant culture. Students will practice simple and direct exchanges of information on familiar and routine matters, as well as their lives and immediate environments.

WCL-103SPA

Beginner Lang,Grammar & Culture Spanish

Credit Hours: 4

A beginning course for students who have had some exposure to the Spanish language and/or its culture. It builds a foundation for the development of proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in the Spanish language. Students gain practice with vocabulary and structures needed for communication, complemented by an introduction to various aspects of the relevant culture. Students will practice simple and direct exchanges of information on familiar and routine matters, as well as their lives and immediate environments.

WCL-107

Spanish for Health Care Professionals

Credit Hours: 4

An elementary course designed especially for health care professionals to acquire a basis for development of communication skills in Spanish. Emphasis is on conversation using vocabulary and structures needed for health-related situations in hospitals and care-giving environments. The course includes discussion of cultural dimensions that affect efficient health care.

WCL-109

Span BasicGram&WritngforHeritageSpeakers

Credit Hours: 4

A course for Spanish-speaking students which affords them the opportunity to study Spanish formally in an academic setting in the same way native English speakers study English language arts. The course allows students to reactivate the Spanish they have learned previously and develop it further, to learn more about their language and cultural heritage, to acquire Spanish literacy skills, to develop or augment Spanish academic language skills, and to enhance career opportunities. Students will develop strategic Spanish academic vocabulary as they learn to critically analyze a text, write poetry, and acquire new information in different academic content areas.

WCL-110

A Survey of Global Studies

Credit Hours: 4

This course provides a broad survey of content-intensive information necessary for a foundational understanding of the world's cultures and societies. The essential facts, concepts, principles, policies, and interpretations pertinent to the following subject areas will be examined: global history, governments, geography, and economics. Open to all

WCL-115

Principles of Human Geography

Credit Hours: 4

Human Geography introduces students to fundamental issues and concepts that will help them understand the world in which they live. It focuses on the dynamic and complex relationships between people and the environments they inhabit. Topics including environment, religion, language, demography, geopolitics, industry, and urban and rural life offer students a holistic understanding of the various culture areas. Students will learn the basic geographical tools and concepts needed to understand the complexity of places and regions and to appreciate the interconnections between their lives and those of people in different parts of the world, preparing them to make the world a better place. The course provides not only a body of knowledge about the creation of places and regions, but also an understanding of both the interdependence of places and regions in a globalizing world, and the major changes that have taken place in global, regional, and local landscapes. Open to all

Course Level: 2

WCL-200

Literature Survey

Credit Hours: 4

This survey course encompasses historical backgrounds and samplings of the great literature of Spain and/or Spanish America, the Francophone world, or other areas related to a particular romance language. Readings will be included from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment Periods. The 19th and 20th Centuries with their varieties of Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism and Modernism will also be considered. Taught in the corresponding language.

WCL-201FRE

Intermed Lang,Writ,Spk,Culture French

Credit Hours: 4

A continuation of WCL103FRE Introducing more advanced skills in writing and speaking French. Students will practice the French language to discuss and write about familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. The course is designed to help students deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken and to enable them to produce simple connected text on familiar topics. Comparative analysis and various cultural/historical aspects of the French language are discussed in depth, and students are introduced to the various language registers. Pre-requisite: WCL103FRE-or equivalent level of proficiency demonstrated through a placement test.

WCL-201ITA

Intermed Lang,Writ,Spk,Culture Italian

Credit Hours: 4

A continuation of WCL103ITA--, introducing more advanced skills in writing and speaking Italian. Students will practice the Italian language to discuss and write about familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. The course is designed to help students deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken and to enable them to produce simple connected text on familiar topics. Comparative analysis and various cultural/historical aspects of the Italian language are discussed in depth, and students are introduced to the various language registers. Pre-requisite: WCL103ITA-or equivalent level of proficiency demonstrated through a placement test.

WCL-201LAT

Intermed Lang,Writ,Spk,Culture Latin

Credit Hours: 4

A continuation of WCL103LAT--, introducing more advanced skills in writing and speaking Latin. Students will practice the Latin language to discuss and write about familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. The course is designed to help students deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken and to enable them to produce simple connected text on familiar topics. Comparative analysis and various cultural/historical aspects of the Latin language are discussed in depth, and students are introduced to the various language registers. Pre-requisite: WCL103LAT-or equivalent level of proficiency demonstrated through a placement test.

WCL-201SPA

Intermed Lang,Writ,Spk,Culture Spanish

Credit Hours: 4

A continuation of WCL103SPAintroducing more advanced skills in writing and speaking Spanish. Students will practice the Spanish language to discuss and write about familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. The course is designed to help students deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken and to enable them to produce simple connected text on familiar topics. Comparative analysis and various cultural/historical aspects of the Spanish language are discussed in depth, and students are introduced to the various language registers. Pre-requisite: WCL103SPA-or equivalent level of proficiency demonstrated through a placement test.

WCL-203

Spa Inter Writing&Style HeritageSpeakers

Credit Hours: 4

A continuation of WCL 109 concentrating on developing strategic Spanish reading skills, while investigating the literary genres of expository essays, myths, fables, legends, poetry, short stories, and novels. Students will read a variety of selections and produce writing in various formats and genres including well-developed paragraphs, literary responses, expository essays, narratives, and technical documents, while continuing to refine their mastery of correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Pre-requisite: WCL 109-or equivalent level of proficiency demonstrated through a placement test.

WCL-205

AreaStudies:Culture & Traditons

Credit Hours: 2

Language cannot be studied in isolation but rather through its functions in all spheres of the life of society, its role as a means of communication and cognition, and as an instrument of culture. As the connection between the language and the life of the people who speak it has been well-established, studying foreign languages in broad social, political and cultural contexts becomes a necessity. Students are introduced to the culture and civilization of the people whose language they study acquiring a deep understanding of the world in which the languages they study function. Students are encouraged to combine knowledge of a certain country or region with knowledge of the language/s spoken there. The curriculum includes courses in various aspects of a region: students study its history, population, economy, culture, literature and religion.

Course Level: 3

WCL-300

Reading & Contexts

Credit Hours: 4

Development of reading strategies and skills needed for analyzing and understanding literary/cultural texts. The course is organized around a topic based on a theme, period, or major writer and chosen to meet the needs of students who are just beginning upper-level coursework in their language of choice. Special attention given to vocabulary development, to the advanced grammar and to the historical context required for understanding literary/cultural texts. By analyzing texts and writing frequently, students learn how ideas are formed through language. The course teaches students to pay close attention to how a piece of writing creates meaning at the level of the word, the phrase, the sentence, and the paragraph or verse. Students become critical readers not only of texts but also of the world around them. Pre-requisite: Students must demonstrate at least the intermediate level of proficiency in Spanish either by successfully completing a 200-level Spanish course or by demonstrating that proficiency through a placement test.

WCL-305

Composition & Conversation

Credit Hours: 4

A course designed to advance students' communicative skills through conversation, reading, and writing activities. The course includes an intensive study of oral and written expression, combining creative and academic writing. Readings and discussions are based on essays, short stories, poems, current newspapers, TV shows and films. Frequent compositions are required. Pre-requisite: Students must demonstrate at least the intermediate level of proficiency in Spanish either by successfully completing a 200-level Spanish course or by demonstrating that proficiency through a placement test.

WCL-310

Grammar & Style

Credit Hours: 4

Emphasizes the normative aspects of the language, its style, registers and the finer points of grammar mostly when writing in the target language and translating advanced texts from English to the target language. The course develops vocabulary, style and ability to use different levels of language. Students learn to take into consideration audience and genre, so that they are able to write and speak in more than one style and for more than one audience. Pre-requisite: Students must demonstrate at least the intermediate level of proficiency in Spanish either by successfully completing a 200-level Spanish course or by demonstrating that proficiency through a placement test.

WCL-315

Romance Languages: Their Heritages

Credit Hours: 4

A study of the evolution and survival of the Latin language in the modern Romance languages. The course will examine how, in particular, the French, Italian and Spanish languages developed and arrived at their separate destinies while sharing similarities and maintaining strong ties to their Latin parent. Attention will be given to the historical and social circumstances that contributed to the evolution of these languages. Pre-requisite: Students must demonstrate at least the intermediate level of proficiency in Spanish either by successfully completing a 200-level Spanish course or by demonstrating that proficiency through a placement test.

Course Level: 4

WCL-490

Capstone Seminar

Credit Hours: 2

The purpose of the capstone requirement for the Hispanic Studies major provides students with a unique opportunity to work closely with a faculty member on a focused topic of research. It will also provide the program with a mechanism for determining whether our students are meeting the learning outcomes for the major. Students are expected to have developed solid linguistic grounding, broad knowledge of the language's corresponding cultures, and skills in literary and cultural analysis. Building upon this knowledge from previous coursework in the major, the seminar will educate students about current trends in the discipline, introduce them to a focused area of research, and engage them in presentations and weekly discussions. Students are expected to give a formal class report and write a research paper demonstrating language proficiency, critical and creative thinking, analytical skills and a cultural perspective as the culmination of the capstone requirement.
Students majoring in Globalization Studies engage in cross-disciplinary work to examine global/local issues with a holistic approach. They will prepare, present, and attend end-of-term student presentations on their capstone projects. Seminar students expand, sharpen, and coordinate their comprehension by reviewing and discussing selected advanced readings in the field of Globalization Studies. Interdisciplinary perspectives and contemporary problems will be stressed. Students will be expected to draw upon and synthesize the knowledge they have acquired from prior internationally-oriented coursework, language courses, study-abroad experiences, and related studies to their overall education and personal and career goals. In addition, students in the Seminar will complete a research paper using primary-source material. Pre-requisite: Senior status

WCL-495

Experience (Internship)

Credit Hours: 2

Study abroad is a most valuable experience because it expands students' awareness of global perspectives, strengthens their language skills, and builds understanding and appreciation of other cultures. Students can also obtain internships in the US that offer an appropriate intercultural or international component. By the end of this element, students complete a project whose purpose is to help them learn about their destination, enhance their cultural observation skills while they are abroad or completing their internship, reflect on the impact of their experience once they return, and articulate why the it mattered and what hard and soft skills they developed as a result of their experience.
During the course of study, students are encouraged to engage in meaningful service-learning activities including engagement in the community and activities that increase awareness on humanitarian issues especially those relating to displaced people, refugees, and immigrants. Pre-requisite: At least one WCL course.

Who We Are

Founded in 1899 by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, the College of Saint Elizabeth has a strong tradition of concern for the poor, for developing leadership in a spirit of service and social responsibility, and a commitment to the promotion of women as full partners in society.